Reflecting on My 2025 Quilting Journey

Before I list the quilts and sewing projects I worked on this year, I want to pause for a moment.

Reflection matters. Not to count finishes, not to measure productivity, and definitely not to compare with anyone else’s sewing journey. This year reminded me that progress doesn’t always look loud. Some seasons are steady. Some are quiet. Many are made up of small pockets of time, 20 minutes here, a few stitches there and THAT still counts.

If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t “make enough” this year, I hope ...

read more

In a scrap bag were small pieces of some super cute farm fabric–chickens, sunflowers and text. They aren’t the kind of prints where cutting them smaller would be a good solution. But they could be combined with something else.

I added the gold geometric print in the 4-1/2″ squares and built 4-patchesout of 2-1/2″ squares using coordinating fabrics.

I even had some matching sunflower fabric for the back.

It is even cuter in person, but this at least gives you an idea. Cheap and cheerful, but it will go in the donation pile for next year ...

read more

My Abloom Quilt Finish (Sew Sampler – May 2025)

I’m so happy to finally be sharing this finish — my Abloom quilt, made from the May 2025 Sew Sampler Box. This is one of those projects that quietly stayed with me throughout the year, and seeing it fully quilted and finished feels especially satisfying.

The fabric collection, Abloom by Corey Yoder for Moda Fabrics, is just beautiful. Soft, cheerful florals with a timeless feel — the kind of prints that instantly lift your mood. I especially loved working with the panel that came in the box; it really anchors the quilt and ...

read more

From UFO to Done:

For the last five and a half years, I’ve been pulling out the project box for this Modern Star Quilt —sorting the pieces, laying them out, dreaming about the finish… and then carefully tucking it all away again. Every so often, I’d make a little progress by sewing a few star sets together, but it never seemed to get very far.

A few months ago, I made a promise to myself: I wanted to finally finish some of my UFOs so they could become part of the quilts I donate during the Giving Challenge ...

read more

My Favourite Quilting Tools of 2025 (The Ones I Reached For Again & Again)

As the year winds down and I tidy up my sewing room for a fresh start in 2026, I always find myself reflecting on the quilting tools that truly made a difference this year. Some tools were pleasant surprises, some old favourites stayed loyal, and some became total game-changers for my quilting workflow.

If you’re looking to refresh your tool kit or find great gift ideas for a quilting friend, here are my most-used quilting tools of 2025…

1. Oliso Iron – Still My MVP

I’ve ...

read more

When I saw this pattern from Cluck Cluck Sew, I immediately thought it would make a great scrappy Christmas quilt.I made a different scrappy Christmas quilt in 2018 And I thought it was time to make another and hopefully whittle down my Christmas fabrics a little.I like that the pieces in this block are big enough to show the fabrics.The white is a white on white print from my fabric pantry

read more

The freemotion design Paws is one of those designs that creates a lovely texture. You just want to pet the quilt!

This design works well for quilts with themes like animals, pets, water, sea, ocean, rain, weather, wind, flying, birds, and swimming. Is there anything else that this design reminds you of?

Pattern Tutorial

Create the dynamic design Paws by moving in all directions. The design sequence its pretty simple; curve round and add a teardrop or a paisley shape inside of the curve.

The teardrop is a symmetrical shape, while the paisley is not; it has a curve. Mix ...

read more

The virtual cookie exchange is one I look forward to. I like the opportunity to push myself into trying to convert another holiday recipe to a gluten-free version. This time, I decided to try making my younger daughter’s favorite…snickerdoodles! When I started looking at gluten-free recipes, I was surprised to see they didn’t call for cream of tarter. In my opinion, half the charm of a snickerdoodle is that slightly tart taste that lingers on your tongue. So, I went back to my 1980’s Betty Crocker Cookbook and I just subbed in the Bob’s Red ...

read more

I have managed to finish a project, only six weeks after our newest granddaughter was born. It is based on the pattern Christmas Jam Place Mats from the Winter 2025 Issue of Quilter’s World magazine.

My blocks are 8″ square. It seemed like such a great idea, until I realized that the finished project would have over 900 pieces. In a baby quilt. But, it was too late…I really wanted to see the finished product. So, I carried on.

You may notice that each fabric appears only one time, including the yellow star centers. I tried to pick ...

read more

Leaves in the wind or a festive buzz?

The dynamic atmosphere of a party was the inspiration for this design. People talking, dancing and having fun. Nice plump feathers with curls are an elegant and fun combination.

The edge to edge design Festive is based on feathers, curls and echoes. This dynamic  edge to edge works well for quilts with themes like nature, plants, trees and leaves, Spring and Autumn, Christmas and the holidays, or actually any celebration.

Pattern Tutorial

Create this dynamic design by moving in all directions. The design sequence is build up of two feather shapes that ...

read more

I’ve been working on the Designer Mystery 2023 quilt — Fat Quarter Shop’s long-running and beloved mystery BOM program. This quilt project has taken me a little longer than planned because I kept contemplating different layout ideas. Part of me wanted to redesign it entirely, but since I had already cut most of the finishing pieces, I eventually decided to stick with the provided layout and just tweak it slightly to match my style. Sometimes the best thing is to keep going at your own pace, enjoy the process, and let the quilt evolve naturally.

One thing I’ve ...

read more

Grateful Hearts & Autumn Nights Quilt Finish 

November has always felt like a gentle pause between the rush of the year and the anticipation of what’s next. I love fall season even though we don’t have seasons in Malaysia, the thoughts of fall always remain in my heart. It was my favourite season when I was in Australia. The air turns softer, the evenings grow longer, and everything seems to slow down just a little — inviting us to reflect, to rest, and to be grateful.

This year, I’ve been reminding myself to truly enjoy the moment while it ...

read more

Quilting Mistakes We All Make (and What They Teach Us!)

Every quilter, no matter how experienced, has a few “oops” moments hidden behind their finished quilt. From uneven seams to miscounted quilt blocks (like mine!), these little hiccups are part of the quilting process — and honestly, they often make the best stories.

Last week, I pushed myself to finish one more block for a quilt top I’d been working on. I had run out of fabric and had to dig deep into my stash to find something close enough to match. You’d think with all the fabric I ...

read more

This cute filler freemotion design is a variation and the classic Pebble design. Add a curl on this inside to create the look of a cinnamon roll or the rolled up sides of a cinnamon stick.

The Cinnamon design works well for quilts with themes like Autumn, Fall, Winter, Christmas, cooking, pastry, cake. It can also be used in art quilts to represent water, bubbles, fossils, shells or various organic items.

Pattern Tutorial

This Pebble variation works like most do; travel around the circle to add decorative elements or to get to the spot for your next circle.

The circles ...

read more

First: Always rip your fabric to ensure everything is on-grain. If you don't know what that means, just push the I-Believe button and carry on. 

read more

This quilt came to be as the result of a personal challenge: to design the most efficient quilt I could using THREE charm packs, and still have it be interesting. I hope you enjoy it.

Three Times The Charm

66-1/2″ x 66-1/2″

NOTE: You could also use a layer cake and give the quilt an additional border set. The finished size of that would be 74″ square.

MATERIALS

3 5″ charm packs of 42 squares each (You will use all but 8, assuming no cutting errors)

2-1/2 yards background fabric

1/2 yard for centers of the ...

read more

Making Progress Anyway: Getting Unstuck and Finishing Those Stalled Quilting Projects

Stuck on a quilt top? Here’s how to make progress on stalled projects, choose fabrics, and reignite your quilting spark—plus tips for machine quilting.

Every quilter has a few stalled projects somewhere in their sewing room.
The half-pieced quilt top hanging on the design wall.
The blocks cut neatly with a rotary cutter but never sewn together.
Or that one table runner that just needs quilting—but has been sitting folded on the corner of your work surface for a long time.

If that sounds familiar, you ...

read more

 Und hier ist der Quilt fertig - und wurde für die 18th Quilt Nihon ausgewählt

and here the finished quilt - it was accepted to the 18th Quilt Nihon exhibition 

Aus den Fugen 135 x 139 cm / Out of joint 53 x 51"

read more

This meandering freemotion design Mistletoe is open, airy and whimsical. It resembles a mistletoe plant but not exactly, making this design more versatile than just a Christmas quilting design.

The design consists of a series of two leaf shapes, two feathers and one or more small circles. The circles on sticks will help you travel to a new spot for the next sequence.

Pattern Tutorial

This design is built on a sequence with three design elements: leaf shapes, feathers and a circle on a stick.

Move into the area you want to fill with your design and try to use ...

read more

Meine Pläne für die letzten Monate  in 2025

1. UFOs zu Quilts machen

Natürlich reise ich gerne, aber genauso gerne bin ich auch zuhause. Deshalb freue ich mich auch sehr, wenn ich Zeit habe, die ich dort verbringen kann. Das war so in meinem Urlaub. Ich habe gehofft, dass es dann ganz heiß wird. Dann wollte ich mich im kühlen Keller verkriechen und quilten was das Zeug hält...

Projekte habe ich viele. Dazu gehören uralte Quilt-Tops, die noch gequiltet werden müssen, und auch neue Projekte, bei denen ich noch Blöcke nähen und zusammenfügen muss:

Meine Quilt-Projekte bis Ende des Jahres ...

read more